1991 Toyota Soarer UZZ31 4 litre V8

Summary:

Faults:

Slight crack on the radiator bottle (needs to be changed every 80000km).

Some wiring shorting out, blowing the FM tuner up, causing the radio not to work.

General Comments:

This car is a seriously quick car when driven properly.

Very quick off the line, it's ahead of its time, and has features that some of the brand new Australian delivery cars don't have.

I have had it for a year now, and haven't had one drop of oil leak from it at all.

Very quite inside the cabin; no wind sound or nothing, 180kmph feels like 40kmph! Can't feel the speed at all.

I am missing the factory option traction control, and I have fitted the optional TORSEN LSD differential center, and in the wet if planting the accelerator too hard off the line or around a corner, you will end up facing the other way; the rear end just does the full circle, even when you have brand new tires!

I have added an aftermarket suspension controller that makes the car go much lower and much higher.

Also added a cat back exhaust system, which makes a really nice note when punched.

Love this car. I've got some serious plans for it, including adding a supercharger kit for it soon.

1991 Toyota Soarer 1JZ GTE 2.5L petrol Twin turbo

Summary:

A LOT of car for the money

Faults:

Car will often misfire on a medium to hard push. Recently had the spark plugs changed and found 2 were completely covered in oil. Compression test showed VERY GOOD compression throughout all 6 pistons (~175psi each) indicating the misfiring is likely related to worn oil rings in the cylinders. Could be related to the turbo seals as well, although I'd say this would be less likely as the car will misfire under a moderate load as well, and the turbos provide solid boost even at a high speed / rpm.

Despite this potentially expensive problem, I am still very pleased with the reliability of this car. The engine still holds its compression very well, the gears change seamlessly, and there are no major oil / liquid leaks. touch wood, very impressive for a car this age.

General Comments:

Aside from its top notch build quality and reliability, I must say the car is exactly what it was intended to be and much more. It's a great example of a luxury sports car.

It's ultra comfortable in the front, the seats wrap around your body and hold you at high speed. Honestly it feels more comfortable than my lounge at home. I haven't had any complaints from anyone sitting in the back either, which shows how well the interior was designed and built.

Power wise the Twin Turbo soarer has more than enough grunt to put it into the upper bracket of street performance vehicles. For a car that sells just under the $9,000 AUD mark in ordinary condition, it easily outperforms sports cars in its price range, and holds its own against far more expensive vehicles.

Its on par or quicker than factory VT-SS, Subaru WRX, R32/33 GTS-T, 180SX, VL Turbo, Silvia, MA70 Supra, AU/BA Falcon XR8, all of which range from being equally priced to being far more expensive.

From a standstill the car will suck you back into your seat and have your passengers screaming at the top of their lungs. Cruising at 100km/h, the car still feels like a slingshot and still has plenty of overtaking power.

As for the way it feels when your behind the wheel? Well you won't feel a thing. With the right set of wheels, it seamlessly glides over the road. To corner it will require some skill, as the car has a tendency to over/under steer if you approach a corner at the wrong speed / angle. Take it easy though, and it will hug the road even around the sharpest corners. On the freeway at 130km/h its exceptional aerodynamics cut through the air and hold the car down, with no steering shaking / vibrations inside. I have never felt as if the car was losing control or lifting up off the road even over 130km/h. This is a lot more than I can say about my previous car, a 1999 AU Falcon, which would violently rattle over 100km/h, and pull left to right as if it had a mind of its own.

Well I hope you enjoyed reading my "little" review of the 1991 JZZ30 Toyota Soarer.

To sum it up it's a hell of a lot of car for the money. If luxury, power and build quality mean anything to you, you simply can't look past the Toyota Soarer.